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Reasons for low watt amps
Reason one - Health
Firstly to prevent hearing loss - there
are a many rock stars with either tinnitis or are going deaf due to long
term exposure to loud music such as:
Phil
Collins and Roger Daltry (the Who), Jeff Beck, Pete Townsend, Eric
Johnson, James Hetfield, Mick Fleetwood
and a lot
more.
Reason two - Your live sound should
match your practice tone
I hate the thought that my rig will sound
different live when you crank it up louder. Check out the Edge's
gear - he runs racks with effects and little combos inside. Your just
mike it up and run it through the PA.
Reason three - You can actually lift
them!
"Which small or low watt guitar amp?" is a
common question on many forums. My valve amp journey started with a Crate
Vintage 50 2 by 12 combo. It was great amp - but it weighed a ton
and I could never use its tone without bleeding ears. My next amp
was a bit smaller, VHT Pittbull 45 single 12. Again a great amp and
weighed a lot less than the Crate - but still way loud. I currently use
an Orange Tiny Terror and a THD Univalve - which I love. Sure 2 channels would be
great and I am eyeing the Blackstar 5 Watt head...but I will still be
short the clean headroom that only the Mesa Boogie Lone Star Special can
give me. Oh well .. here is a collection of small low power valve amps
and links to Harmony Central reviews where I can find them for your enjoyment.
These machines are perfectly suited for bedroom or recording studio
application. For those wondering about low power amps - it is all about
power valve saturation (not preamp valve). When you hear it you
will know it and you will want more of it....
Of course for those wanting to keep their
high power amps - you can achieve power valve saturation at more modest
sound pressure levels using an Attenuator
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Cabinet ohms
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Pedal Power Supplies |
Pedal Boards |
Pedal Board
accessories
| Small
travel amplifiers
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Headphone amps
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Travel guitars |
Guitarist
Gift Guide
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Guitar stores to
visit before you die |
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Alessandro
Beagle
Cabinet Solid, hand rubbed oak with
laminated oak front panel.
Output 10 watts @ 8 or 16 ohms
Preamp Tubes 2 x 6SL7 (all-octal)
Power Tubes 2 x EL84
Reviews |
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Allen
Amplification Classic 10
Output Power - 10 watts.
Tube Compliment - (1) 12AX7 preamp tube
and (1) 6L6GC or EL34 power tube.
Class A single-ended with cathode bias.
Equalization - TONE control to cut or
boost highs, BOOST switch "ON" thins out bass.
Chassis - brushed 18 gauge
stainless-steel.
Transformers - USA made TP18 power
transformer and Heyboer TO11C output transformer.
Topology - Loosely based on tweed
Princeton 5F2-A™ but with more power, unique boost feature and a
solid-state rectifier.
Cabinet - Finger-jointed pine with Birch
plywood floating speaker baffle and MDF back panels.
Speaker(s) - Eminence Copperhead 8 ohm
speaker.
Special Features - Cathode biased power
tube can be a 6L6GC or an EL34. Unique BOOST switch pumps up the gain
for more mids and highs and eliminates the negative feedback for a more
Marshal like overdrive tone.
Size and Weight - 17"W by 17"H by 9"D and
24lbs. |
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Amp Exchange MEAN 13
Single channel with volume, treble, middle and bass controls
Extremely overbuild with many
N.O.S parts for tone & reliability
Extremely low noise across
entire Db range
4, 8, 916 OHM outputs
Has only one 12 AX-7 dual
triode for lower noise while producing similar gain to '59 Fender
Bassman
Has a 5 watt to 13 watt
selector switch-5watt mode runs the tubes in triode mode while 13 watt
run's the tubes in pentode mode
Use's all high quality (made
in U.S.A) Mercury Magnetics transformers
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Ampmaker
AK01 - The SE-5a guitar amp kit
Do it yourself
5W single-ended Class A amp, with Treble,
Middle and Bass controls
Reviews |
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Aston
Electronics
5 Watt valve amp kit
Reviews |
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Auble Systems
System 110
System 110, - in its original form
consisted of (1) 12AX7,(1) 12AU7,(2)6V6 tubes with a triode-pentode
switch making 6 and 12 watts. Since then the front-end is used with many
different power sections resulting in amps making anywhere from .9 to 30
watts. The simplicity of the design gives the amp a very versatile and
dynamic characteristic. At the low end of the volume control the tone is
very reminiscent of the 59 Bassman, and when cranked morphs into a very
Marshall-like tone. |
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Audio Kitchen Little Chopper
7 Watt
Based around an ECC81 and
ECC83 in the preamp and EL84 power amp, the tones range from ultimate
'American' cleans, through classic British chime and grunt, all the way
out the other side to Crazy-Horse style scuzz.
Controls on the front panel
are Gain, Bass, Middle, Top, Stack, Power
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Bad Cat
MINI II : 5 WATT
1 Channel, 1 Input : 12" Speaker
The only thing small about this powerhouse 5 watt amp is its size. You
won’t believe your ears when you hear this baby cat roar. Ideal for
low-volume studio recording, the Mini II is a Class A, point-to-point
wired, tube powered brute.
Experience the sweet tone of a dual
overdriven 12AX7 pre-amp section and a single EL-84 power tube in your
bedroom without disturbing your neighbors. Also features Line Out,
Volume, Interactive Bass, Treble and Master Controls. 4, 8, 16 Ohm
Selector.
Reviews
Review |
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Bearpaw Growler
Bearpaw's Growler range from 1 watt up... |

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Big
White Monkey The Chimp.
Single ended Class A 5 watt amp,
switchable to 2 watts |
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Black
Heart Killer Ant
<1 Watt RMS, Single-Ended, Class A
Solid State Rectifier
Volume (the rest of the tone is in your hands)
Reviews
The Black Heart Little Giant is 5
watt version. |
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Blackstar HT5
Innovative 5 Watt valve amplifier
• 1xECC83 and 1x12BH7 valves
• Unique push pull power amp design
• Award winning HT Pedal preamp
• Two footswitchable channels
• 10˝ Celestion speaker
Reviews |
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Blankenship
Amps Fatboy
Speaker: 1x12"
Power: selectable to 10, 15, 18 or 25 watts
Tube Complement: Two 12Ax7, Two 6V6 and 6L6 sets, One 5AR4 or 5Y3
rectifier
Controls: Volume, Volume, Tone, On/Off, Standby
Cabinet Coverings: Aged Lacquered Tweed (standard), Rough Blonde Tolex,
Red or Purple Levant
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Blues Land
BabyBlues starting at $650 - a 3 to 8 watt
9 (depending on the power tube used) single ended amp that is similar to
a tweed champ on steroids with a couple of other features and tweaks.
BluesKing starting at $800 - a 13 watt amp
that is similar to a tweed deluxe with a couple of other features and
tweaks.
Options; can come with a 50/60's (cathode to fixed bias) switch that
switches the amp from that 50's squeezed class A (cathode bias) sound to
a tighter, more Marshally sound like a 60's (fixed bias)
Speakers; none, head only - 1x12 tweed or
plexi-glas, 1x12, 2x12, 2x10.
The pix are of two recently finished (Oct
2009) amps that are available with or without handles.
The one on the right is currently loaded
with a rare early 60's British Elac alnico 10 inch speaker..
The one on the left is loaded with an early re-issue of a Jensen P10R
alnico 10 inch speaker.
BluesLand 1999 Catalog
and pricelist |
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Bogner Mojado Head
15 Watts 6V6’s Volume Knob 4-Position Schizo Knob
Reviews |
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Bugera V5
Boutique-Style 5-Watt
Class-A Valve Amplifier Combo with Reverb and Power Attenuator. |
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Bumbox Lead One
Controls
Gain - Treble - Middle - Bass - Master Volume
Preamp - 2 - 12ax7's
Power section - 1 - 6n1p
Output power
1w max, 1/2w clean
Dimensions
15.5" x 7" x 7", 10lbs.
Reviews
The Bum Box Reino Unido is switchable
12/20 watt. |
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Byers Model 10
Classis tweed tone with greater range. Warm and clean
with plenty of headroom and switchable overdrive for classic tube
distortion.
Completely hand wired and assembled from only the finest components.
No printed circuit boards.
Treble - Bass - Volume - Tone control circuit out switch and Overdrive
controls.
Hi - Low dual inputs.
10" Weber speaker.
5 watts RMS clean output with 10 watts max signal output.
Properly wired heaters and shielded inputs create virtually hum free
operation.
6v6GT - 12AX7 tubes.
4 ohm output impendence from Mercury Magnetic output transformers.
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Carr Mercury
Class A Single-ended fixed bias EL-34
output stage Single channel: bass, treble, reverb 3-position boost
switch Treble cut switch Built in 4 position attenuator (8, 2, 1/2, 1/10
watt)
Reviews
Review |
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Carr amps Raleigh 3 watt
1-10 compact combo with Eminence Lil' buddy hemp cone 10" speaker
2 12AX7s, 1 EL-84 tube compliment
Volume, Tone, Clean/Overdrive Toggle Switch, Master Volume controls
3 watts output
Ideal for home and studio
Glassy 60s blackface tones to juicy, sustained overdrive |
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Carvin Vintage 16
All tube design
- three 12AX7 preamp(Groove Tubes V1) tubes, two EL84 output Groove
Tubes™ power tubes
- 1 Meg Passive tone controls for broad adjustment range.
- Front controls: VOLUME, SOAK, BASS, MID, TREBLE and REVERB
- Metal shaft controls, Ivory knobs, Red jewel lamp
- Strong Poplar plywood enclosure covered in thick TWEED
- GT12 speaker
- Output: 16 watts / 5 Watts, Pentode / Triode into 8ohms
- Single 8ohms speaker jack.
- CH EQ: 60, 650, & 11.5K Hz.
- Size: 16 inches wide x 8.5 inches deep x 17.75 inches high
- Weight: 31 lbs.
- 120V or 240V models
- Made in San Diego, California
Reviews |
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Cheese Blocks
Mini Menace
1/2 Watt Tube Guitar
Amp Head
The amp is built
into a pedal sized enclosure and powerd by an external 12V wall wart
(included). It has an 8ohm output.
This is a great sounding little amp based on a 12AU7 using a JRC386D for
the power amp stage
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Clark Amplification Lil'
Bit ltd™
Five watt / Ten Watt, Single ended Pure Class "A"
circuitry, one twelve combo, chrome chassis.
This amp features the chassis of a
5E3 with two separate input channels, (Bright and Normal) with a common
tone control. Channels can be bridged for even more tonal options. The
amp features the ability to operate with either a single or two 6V6's.
You may also mix a 6V6 and a 6L6 for added tonal palette. Output wattage
is easily selected by the use of one or two output tubes.
* Tube compliment is one 5Y3GT, one
or two 6V6 Tung Sol (RI), two 12AX7 Mullard. All NOS tubes available.
* Jensen paper, copper foil, and oil
coupling capacitors, Allen Bradley carbon composition resistors, Sprague
electrolytics, CTS potentiometers, Carling switches, Switchcraft jacks,
NOS tube sockets Mil Spec, Original solid 22g cloth covered wire.
* Weber VST 12A125 12" speaker or
Celestion G12H30 speaker. |
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Cornell Romany
Output:
A - 10 watts
B - 2 watts
C - ¼ watt
Valve Complement:
ECC83 (x1)
6L6GT (x1)
Reviews |
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Cornford Harlequin
6 Watts.
Class A. 2 x 12AX7 Valves (preamp),
1x EL84 (output stage), 12 inch Celestion Vintage 30 Speaker, 2 x inputs
(hi and lo), Volume, which simultaneously controls first and second gain
stages (tandem pot), Treble, Master Volume and voice switch which alters
the frequency range over which the tone controls operate
Reviews |
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Crate V5
V5 Class A combo features a single EL84 output tube producing
5 watts through a single 10" speaker
1 EL84 Tube
Reviews
The Crate V16 Palomino is a USA
made combo.
15W power
Class A tube circuit
Single channel with Boost switch
12" Celestion speaker
Gain, 3-band EQ, Level, Reverb knobs
Spring reverb
18-1/2"W x 16-1/2"H x 9-1/2"D
38 lbs. |
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Cuba
St The Radiotone
The
Cuba Street Amplifier
Company, New Zealand
The Radiotone is a pocket battleship!
5 watts of class A pure valve tone through a grunty little Weber 8"
speaker. Or run it as a head into your favourite
speaker cabinet . . . growls like a mad thing!
P2P hand-wired, fingerjointed cabinet, two-tone tolex covering.
Made in Aotearoa, New Zealand
Reviews |
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a-c |
d-j | k-p
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t-z
Small
travel amplifiers
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Attenuators
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Headphone Amps |
Travel guitars |